Stabilization of oxygen evolution and primary electron transport reactions in photosystem II against heat stress with glycinebetaine and sucrose

The protective action of co-solutes, such as sucrose and glycinebetaine, against the thermal inactivation of photosystem II function was studied in untreated and Mn-depleted photosystem II preparations. It was shown that, in addition to the reactions that depend on the oxygen evolving activity of the photosystem, those that implicate more intimately the reaction center itself are protected by high concentrations of osmolytes. However, the temperature required to inhibit oxygen evolution totally in the presence of osmolytes is lower than that required to eliminate reactions, such as P680 (primary electron donor in photosystem II) photo-oxidation and pheophytin photo reduetion, which only involve charge separation and primary electron transport processes. The energy storage measured from the thermal dissipation yield during photoacoustic experiments and the yield of variable fluorescence are also protected to a significant degree (up to 30%) at temperatures at which oxygen evolution is totally inhibited. It is suggested that a cyclic electron transport reaction around photosystem II may be preserved under these conditions and may be responsible for the energy storage measured at relatively high temperatures. This interpretation is also supported by thermoluminescence data involving the recombination between reduced electron acceptors and oxidized electron donors at - 30 and - 55 °C. The data also imply that a high concentration of osmolyte allows the stabilization of the photosystem core complex together with the oxygen-evolving complex. The stabilization effect is understood in terms of the minimization of protein-water interactions as proposed by the theory of Arakawa and Timasheff (Biophys. J., 47 (1985) 411--414).     

Covering pairs by quintuples with index λ  0 (mod 4)

A (v, k. λ) covering design of order v, block size k, and index λ is a collection of k-element subsets, called blocks, of a set V such that every 2-subset of V occurs in at least λ blocks. The covering problem is to determine the minimum number of blocks, α(v, k, λ), in a covering design. It is well known that $ \alpha \left({\nu,\kappa,\lambda } \right) \ge \left\lceil {\frac{\nu}{\kappa}\left\lceil {\frac{{\nu - 1}}{{\kappa - 1}}\lambda} \right\rceil} \right\rceil = \phi \left({\nu,\kappa,\lambda} \right) $, where [χ] is the smallest integer satisfying χ ≤ χ. It is shown here that α (v, 5, λ) = ?(v, 5, λ) + ? where λ ≡ 0 (mod 4) and e= 1 if λ (v?1)≡ 0(mod 4) and λv (v?1)/4 ≡ ?1 (mod 5) and e= 0 otherwise With the possible exception of (v,λ) = (28, 4). © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ab Initio and MNDO Calculations Comparison with the VSEPR Model

Ab initio and MNDO calculations of VSEPR model were carried out on CH₂, CH₂⁺, CH₂^?, SiH₂, SiH₂⁺ and SiH₂^?. Comparisons between the second row carbon and its third row silicon analogue as unshared electron pair contributors are considered. The repulsion effects as well as the volume requirement of the unshared electron pair on several structural and energetic properties arc investigated.     

Quantitation of cortico-steroids as common adulterants in local drugs by HPLC

Summary A sensitive and specific method for quantitation of the steroids betamethasone, prednisolone and cortisone acetate commonly used as adulterants in locally produced herb extracts and in certain homeopathic drugs is described. Reverse-phase liquid chromatography with UV detection has been used.     

New polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines derived from enantiopure 3,6-dihydro-2H-1,2-oxazines

[reaction: see text] Diastereoselective hydroborations of enantiopure 3,6-dihydro-2H-1,2-oxazines led to dihydroxy-substituted 1,2-oxazines. Samarium diiodide-induced N-O bond cleavage generated 1,4-amino alcohols which were recyclized to polyhydroxylated pyrrolidines which are potential glycosidase inhibitors.     

Ligand influence on the electrochemical behavior of some copper(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes

The redox properties of the title mono- and binuclear copper(II) chelates have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry in DMF at a working platinum electrode. The cathodic reduction and anodic oxidation of the investigated chelates produced the corresponding electrochemical Cu^I and Cu^IIIspecies stable only in the voltammetric time scale, The effects of substituents on E_1/2, redox properties and stability towards oxidation of the complexes were related to the electron-withdrawing or releasing ability of the substituents on the C=N¹[H, CH₃ or C₆H₅] and/or N⁴H [H, C₂H₅, C₆H₅ or pClC₆H₄] groups, The electron attracting substituents stabilize the Cu(II) complexes while electron-donating groups favor oxidation to Cu(III). Changes in the E_1/2 for the complexes due to remote substituent effects could be related to changes in basicity of N⁴H.Thus, variation in N⁴1-J has more influence on E_1/2 than changes in C=N¹. The correlation between E_1/2 of the complexes and pK_a of the ligands has been attributed to the spherical potential generated by the electron density of the donor atoms at the antibonding d orbitals.     

Acyl vs sulfonyl transfer in N-acyl beta-sultams and 3-oxo-beta-sultams

[reaction: see text] N-Acylsulfonamides usually react with nucleophiles by acyl transfer and C-N bond fission. However, the hydrolysis of N-acyl beta-sultams is a sulfonyl transfer reaction that occurs with S-N fission and opening of the four-membered ring. Similar to other beta-sultams, the N-acyl derivatives are at least 10(6)-fold more reactive than N-acyl sulfonamides. 3-Oxo-beta-sultams are both beta-lactams and beta-sultams but also hydrolyze with preferential S-N bond fission.     

Syntheses,structure, and photoluminescence properties of the 1-dimensional chain compounds [(TPA)(2)Au][Au(CN)(2)] and (TPA)AuCl (TPA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane)

The structures and temperature-dependent photoluminescence properties of the one-dimensional compounds [(TPA)(2)Au][Au(CN)(2)], 1, and (TPA)AuCl, 2, are reported. An extended linear chain with weak Au.Au interactions along the c-axis is evident in the structure of 1, and a helical chain with a pitch of 3.271 A is seen for 2. The intrachain Au...Au separation is 3.457(1) and 3.396(2) A in 1 and 2, respectively. As a result of this weak Au...Au interaction, the physical properties of these compounds are anisotropic. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies indicate that single crystals of both compounds are noninsulating. Single crystals of 1 do not luminesce visibly, but grinding the crystals finely initiates a strong green emission under UV irradiation at room temperature. Further interesting optical properties include the dependence of the emission profile of the powder on the exciting wavelength and luminescence thermochromism. When excited at wavelengths < 360 nm, the powder exhibits a blue emission at 425 nm while excitation with longer wavelengths leads to a green emission near 500 nm. While the green emission dominates at ambient temperature, cooling to cryogenic temperatures leads to the dominance of the blue emission. Fibers of 2 are luminescent at 78 K with an emission band centered at 580 nm. Compound 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cccm (No. 66), with Z = 2, a = 6.011(1) A, b = 23.877(6) A, c = 6.914(1) A, V = 992.3(3) A(3), and R = 0.0337. Compound 2 crystallizes in the trigonal space group R3 (No. 148), with Z = 18, a = 22.587(2) A, b = 22.587(2) A, c = 9.814(2) A, V = 4336 A(3), and R = 0.0283.     

Physical,chemical and biological studies on transition metal complexes of chelating tridentate ligand

Summary The interaction of 1-benzoin-4-phenylthiosemicarbazone (H₂ BPS) with some transition metal ions has been investigated. The ligand can function as a tridentate chelating agent, giving M(HBPS)₂ and M(BPS). Potentiometric studies proved that the mechanism of chelation is based on hydrogen ion liberation. Spectral studies in solution show that the ligand could be used for the microdetermination of Cu^IIions. On the basis of magnetic and spectral data, an octahedral structure is proposed for the Co^II and Ni^II complexes and a square-planar structure for the Cu^II complex. The corrosion inhibition of aluminium in Cl₃CCO₂H using H₂BPS is studied. The electrical conductivity of H₂BPS and of its complexes have been measured. The ligand shows an activation energy in the range of semiconducting materials. The antimicrobial activity of all compounds has also been demonstrated.     

Synthesis of natural pulvinic acids based on a ‘[3+2] cyclization-Suzuki cross-coupling’ strategy

A number of pulvinic acid natural products were prepared based on Suzuki cross coupling reactions of α-hydroxy-γ-alkylidenebutenolides which are readily available by cyclization of 1,3-bis-silyl enol ethers with oxalyl chloride. The formal total synthesis of pulvinic acid, atromentic acid, gomphidic acid and of 4-hydroxypulvinic acid, 4′-hydroxypulvinic acid and iso-gomphidic acid are reported. In addition, total syntheses of pinastric acid, xerocomic acid and variegatic acid were accomplished.